Joe Hendry Blocked From Jericho Cruise Following Royal Rumble Appearance

TNA World Champion Joe Hendry may have recently made his Royal Rumble debut, but it ended up with him being blocked from the Jericho Cruise.

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JoeHendry’s plans to appear on Chris Jericho’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise during the 2025 Royal Rumble weekend were derailed after travel issues kept him from making it to the event.

Hendry had been scheduled to participate in a Q&A on the cruise, which took place between January 31 and February 4, 2025, sailing from Miami to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.

However, things went awry when Hendry encountered a documentation issue while traveling.

PW Insider reported that Hendry flew from Indianapolis, where the 2025 Royal Rumble was held, to Miami, intending to board the cruise in the Dominican Republic.

Unfortunately, Hendry couldn’t resolve the issue in time, spending the entire Sunday trying to get the necessary paperwork sorted, ultimately missing the cruise.

With Hendry unable to appear at the Q&A, AEW’s Toni Storm, who recently resurrected her “Timeless” persona, stepped in to take his place.

In an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hendry shared details about his conversation with Jericho before the weekend.

He explained that he had told Jericho he wanted to keep his Royal Rumble weekend free in case WWE called him to appear. “Chris, I’m sorry, this is going to sound crazy, but I need to keep that Royal Rumble date free. I know this is crazy, but I think it’s going to happen,” Hendry said.

Jericho understood, replying that Hendry could potentially join the cruise later on if the timing worked out. Hendry booked his schedule to be in Indianapolis, leaving a signing early to “catch a flight.”

Reflecting on the surreal experience of walking into the Royal Rumble, Hendry revealed how the moment felt overwhelming but encouraging.

He spoke about seeking advice from legends like CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, saying, “I got great advice. I’ve been very fortunate in the business with people who have helped me get to where I’m getting to.”

Hendry admitted that while he wasn’t sure how many fans knew who he was, the reaction from the 70,000-strong crowd reassured him. “I felt welcome, and I felt this confidence that this was a great opportunity for me to show I can get a top-level reaction.”

Hendry, ever the optimist, also opened up about his desire to face John Cena in 2025.

“As soon as I won this championship, the next day, I’m calling out John Cena. The same way I believed I would be in the Royal Rumble, I believe that I will wrestle John Cena this year. There is no doubt,” Hendry stated.

Despite the chaos of the Rumble, Cena took time out of his schedule to have a one-on-one conversation with Hendry. “With all the chaos of the Rumble going on, John Cena sat down with me and had a long, meaningful conversation where he could have used that time to think about what he was doing. Instead, he invested the time to talk to me. I think he may see something in me, but I have to prove myself.”

Despite being eliminated in under three minutes at the 2025 Royal Rumble, Hendry made a strong impression, with the Indianapolis crowd giving him a hero’s welcome.

Triple H, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, seemed to take note of Hendry’s presence, posting a picture of the two of them backstage, captioned simply: “I believe.”

Meanwhile, over in AEW, Toni Storm’s story was evolving rapidly. On *AEW Collision: Homecoming*, Storm was set to face off against Mariah May, marking their first encounter since Storm had been betrayed.

After Storm declared that she was May’s biggest fan, May attacked her and assaulted her with the title belt. This moment saw Storm fully embrace her “Timeless” persona once again, signaling a shift in her character.

While Hendry’s path toward a potential showdown with Cena is just beginning, both he and Storm are making waves in their respective promotions, if not on the open sea.

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